woaafandomcom-20200215-history
The Pulverem
Physical Qualities The Pulverem is based in the middle of the Magnus Desert. As a result, the city is small and poor. The city is mostly sand, with any structures being built with as much cover and shade as possible. Most of the buildings are run-down and in disrepair. There are very few plants, mostly those that are used to growing in the desert. There are some farmlands, but most have a very poor yield. The land is exceptionally dry, as the land has never seen rain and some residents do not even know what rain is. Culture Food and water are acquiried in small quantities by way of farming and deep wells, although this is not enough to sustain the city. Food, water, and supplies mostly come to the city by way of animal cart. The cart brings supplies to the city as payment in exchange for the city's growing slave trade. The trade is run by a small group of somewhat wealthy individuals who handle most of the transactions. This group as a whole is called Caro. Often, slaves go willingly in order to escape the city's harsh and unforgiving conditions. Those seeking to escape the city but not willing to become slaves do occasionally try to cross the desert, but the sheer distance, environment, and lack of supplies result mostly in failure. Travelers are met with curiosity and welcome, since they usually have something to offer the residents, but anyone wishing anything from the city is usually met with hostility unless they bring significant compensation. Most travelers interact with representatives from Caro since they're often assumed to be looking for slaves. Some travelers object to public displays of slavery in the city, and are usually less welcome as a result. Meat is generally not consumed; any animals are used for labor and are held in high value. There are some exceptions, and often unintelligent creatures such as vermin are not well honored. In general, animals are considered somewhat sacred. Those that exist are usually regarded as a combination of work animal and pet. Many individuals have familiars or animal companions. While it may seem as though the animals put a strain on the already thin resources, they often fend for themselves and pull their own weight within the city. There have been some cases of particularly valuable animals being sold through the slave trade. The classes that originate in the Pulverem are generally restricted to barbarian, cavalier, druid, fighter, monk, ninja, ranger, rogue, and summoner. Magic is not widely known and mostly limited to diminished spellcasters. Classes that use expensive or large amounts of gear such as fighter may have a hard time acquiring equipment. Races can be almost anything, including monstrous races. Catfolk, humans, ratfolk, kobolds, and tieflings are the most common. The official languages of the Pulverem are Common, Ignan and Terran. Individuals who don't speak these languages may have difficulties communicating. Characters born here gain one of these as a starting language. If they already have all, they may gain any other appropriate language. Leadership Because the Pulverem is so poor, the community is not held together to any real degree. There is no real leadership outside of the single church, which only has a mild influence on the residents. Most families keep to themselves, and residents are expected to manage their own food and medicine. Caro does have a fairly organized leadership within the city, but its interests are not always for the city. It does not generally look out for the people unless it stands to profit, and will occasionally take slaves by force. Religion The religion of the Pulverem is fairly weak. There is a single church with a small number of priests and nuns who hold services once or twice a week. The primary worship is of the god Cassian, who helps those who are kind to the earth, plants, and animals. It's believed that proper treatment of these things is rewarded. The more devout know that the slave trade is against the will of Cassian, and may try to resist it, even if that means starving. Military The Pulverem has no organized military. Some particularly strong, talented, or lucky individuals help to keep the peace and eliminate threats. There are no restrictions on who might fulfill these roles. While not an actual military, Caro does consist of many trained and armed individuals. History The Pulverem was founded around 1638, during the Dead War. The city is the result of many different races fleeing from more populated areas and trying to find an isolated patch of land to be safe from the zombie hordes. Though in a remote area in the desert, the city was originally built on an oasis that eventually dried up, leaving the city without resources. Over the years, less and less water has been available and it's become harder for residents to grow crops and have enough water to drink. As the city dwindled, desperate individuals began to offer up the only resource they had: people. Over the last few decades, a growing slave trade has managed to form. Slaves are offered up to buyers in exchange for food and water, although gold and other items are not unheard of. A few individuals began to create a coherent organization out of the slave trade and managed to acquire wealth and power within the city. Trivia * Many terms are based on the Latin language. * Characters born here can take the Tenacious Beast trait.